Before You Buy A Garage Door, Do This! (Part 4)

Before You Buy A Garage Door, Do This! (Part 4)

Curb appeal is great and all, but even the most fabulous looking garage door won’t offer you much protection from a hurricane on looks alone.

It’s time to think about what’s going on with the construction of your door and how it affects your energy costs, noise level, protection from inclement weather and ability to live a more energy-efficient, sustainable lifestyle.

In this fourth installment of our series, we’re going to dig into what you need to be aware of in terms of the practical aspects of your new garage door.

Single, double, and triple layers

Steel garage doors are available in three different kinds of construction.

Let’s take a look at each:

Single layer. Just like it sounds, this door is made with one layer of steel and is usually the most economical choice. However, it won’t offer any insulative value.

Double layer. These doors have a layer of steel and a layer of vinyl-coated insulation. They offer increased thermal protection, as well as a greater level of soundproofing than a single-layer door.

Triple layer doors are the most energy-efficient of the three options, as well as the sturdiest. With a layer of polystyrene or polyurethane sandwiched between two layers of steel, they also offer the highest level of noise reduction.

What about the weather?

The climate in which you live should be one of the main deciding factors when you’re purchasing a new garage door.

A damaged garage door can have an effect on the safety of the rest of your home during a hurricane or other severe weather. This is why you need a door that can withstand the worst weather that could be possible for your area.

Garage doors have wind ratings, which is a number that indicates the strength of winds it can withstand. The ratings range from 0, or none, all the way up to 150 mph. This is one of the options you’ll have when you’re making your purchase.

Some hurricane-prone areas have building codes regarding wind pressure and impact resistance that a garage door should have. Your best bet is to contact a reputable garage door company in order to determine the codes and rules in your area.

What about energy efficiency?

Energy efficiency is a major factor to consider when you’re in the market for a new garage door.

To put it simply, when your garage door is attached to your home, the air that’s in the garage can make its way into your living area.

Having a garage door that is insulated will lower the amount of outside air that enters your home.

Think about what this means if you live in a warm climate!

Your home’s air-conditioning system will have to work even harder if your garage door isn’t sufficiently insulated to keep the warm air out and the cooler air in.

The same is true for the cooler months in which you don’t want your warm, toasty heat spreading to the outside.

Did you know that your garage door had such a direct impact on your pocketbook?

What about noise?

No matter where you live, outside noise can be an issue.

Each layer of insulation your garage door has will add a measure of noise reduction.

For example, a triple-layer door will offer the highest level of protection against noise, while a single-layer door won’t block any noise.

Fortunately, a door that is the most energy efficient is also one that provides the most noise reduction.

The practical aspects of choosing your garage door aren’t the most fun, but they’re important and they can have a big effect on your budget!

We’ve given you a lot to think about! Look for the final installment of this series where you’ll find some tips on purchasing your new garage door.

In your opinion, what’s the most important practical aspect of choosing a garage door?